Can I Get There by Candlelight?

by Jean Slaughter Doty

Book Overview

Can I Get There by Candlelight? is Jean Slaughter Doty's story of a young girl and her closest friend--a pony named Candlelight.

Lonely and unhappy after her family moves to the East and with only her pony, Candlelight, for company, Gail meets Hilary who is later killed in a pony-cart accident.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1442486082
• ISBN13: 9781442486089
• Release Date: October 2012
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Still a favorite...

I read this book when I was about 11 years old. I'm 33 now and still remember it. It's one of the few books from my youth that I'll pick up and re-read every now and again. This book is the first one that introduced me to fantasy. But it's also mystery, supernatural, and historical as well as a great horse story. When I think of the top ten books that influenced me to become a writer, this is one of them that always comes to mind. I really think they should do a reprint. If you can find it, I highly recommend it for horse crazy girls aged 8-14, but it's still a nice story regardless of age.

A Chilling and Tragic Tale of Friendship

***The following is from the Scholastic 1980 version of the book; I DID NOT write it**** "Come on, Candy," says Gail, leading her horse, Candlelight. "Let's go exploring." Gail's parents have just rented a carriage house, about all that's left of an old country estate. The big house was torn down long ago, and woods have sprung up where the lawns and gardens grew. Beyond the woods, fields stretch for miles - perfect for riding. But when Gail steps through the iron gate near the edge of the woods, she has a shock. Instead of fields, she looks across a wide lawn to an enormous house! And running toward her is a girl wearing a dress from a hundred years ago! Somehow, Gail has gone back in time. Can she return to the present? Or will she and Candy be caught in the past forever? ***** My review: Jean Slaughter Doty, talented author of books like "Summer Pony," "Winter Pony," "The Monday Horses," and "Dark Horse" is an incredibly good crafter of horse books. She continues her legacy of moving and detailed horse stories with "Can I Get There by Candlelight?" a tale of friednship that is ultimately doomed to fail. Overall an extremely good read that will stay with you for weeks after you read it.

My Very Favorite Childhood Book Ever!

I'm so upset! I accidentally sold this book in a yardsale recently for 50 cents! I meant to pull it aside and save it for my daughter! This was the best childhood book I ever read. It was haunting and the storyline stayed with me for years to come. The poem on the inside cover always lingered in the back of my mind. Something like, "How many days to Babylon, twenty-four and ten, Can I get there by Candelight? Yes, and back again..." The author masterfully held my attention and the pace was wonderfully exciting and the descriptions and details were so vivid I imagined myself in that mystical garden playing alongside the children. Time travel is such a fascinating topic and is delightfully woven in as the door to a whole new world of imagination. I remember looking at old gates on nearby houses, wondering what might happen if I were to pass through! This is a MUST HAVE for all young readers, especially those with a love for animals.

Best Book I've ever read

This is the BEST book! I was lucky to find this book at a yard sale. I'll say i've never read a better book. This one is my favourite, but i'll also say The mystery of Pony Hollow is really good too.

A fond reading rememberance from my girlhood.

I first read this book when it was published back in 1980 - I still have my original copy! I received it through my school's book order program. Even today, 19 years later, I still reread this book! What a treasure it is! Gail and her horse, Candlelight, are transported back in time to a neighboring estate. There she becomes friends with Hilary, a lonely girl who is vacationing for the summer. Although Gail realizes that she cannot stay in "Babylon" forever (although she does consider it on page 104!), she enjoys her brief journey through time. This is an incredible book! If you can get your hands on it, do not let it go!